Energy From the Atom

Or…

Energy From the Atom

Energy from the Atom

• Energy can be produced from either splitting atoms or combining them.

• Splitting atoms is called fission.

• Combining atoms is called fusion.

• Both produce enormous amounts of energy.

…fission has 2 “s” so it can be split.

Fission

• Fission is the splitting of an atom, usually, uranium, into smaller atoms.

• To do this, uranium is “bombarded” by neutrons.

• When the uranium splits into its smaller pieces, more neutrons are released.

• When the splitting occurs, the two pieces weigh slightly less than the original whole.

• This missing mass is turned into energy from Einstein’s equation E = mc2…a whole lot of energy!

• Some extra neutrons are also released

• Now, there are two ways you can go with this…

• When “bombarding” uranium with neutrons, do it slowly so only small amounts of “a whole lot of energy” are released.

• This is called a controlled reaction.

• Also, use water to keep it cool and avoid a meltdown.

• Absorb a lot of heat and the water boils, which turns a turbine to produce electricity.

• This is called nuclear energy.

#1

Three Mile Island, PA

Diablo Nuclear Power Plant, CA

• Notice that when uranium is bombarded by neutrons, that the reaction itself releases more neutrons.

• Also notice that these fresh neutrons are available to smack into other uranium atoms.

#2

• When this process is uncontrolled, or allowed to proceed quickly on its own, all that huge amount of energy is released at one time in a huge explosion.

• This is the how the atom bombs worked that were dropped on Japan during WW II.

• With great power comes great responsibility.

- Spiderman

• It should be noted that when some of the scientists (who developed the atom bomb) saw how much power was produced, they were sorry they had help develop it.

• Even Einstein wrote a letter to President Truman urging him not to use the weapon.

Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear Fusion• Atoms are combined (opposite of fission).

• 4 hydrogen atoms are combined to make a single helium atom.

• Once again, mass is lost in the process, and again, this mass is converted into energy in the form of energy packets called photons…more later.

• Fusion is how the sun produces energy.

• Occurs in the core of the sun (and all stars).

• Core temperature = 27 million degrees F …better bring your sunglasses!

• The internal pressure would make a bottle of Coke weigh about 175 pounds!

• Each second the sun produces more energy than all of mankind has used during all of its entire existence.

• Over 1 million Earths could fit into the sun.

• Emits all types of energy, from low energy radio waves to high energy gamma waves.

• Energy released in the form of photons.

• Fusion in the core makes energy, mostly in the form of light.

• This light has to work its way to the surface but the sun is tightly packed with material.

• The time light needs to reach the outside of the sun from the core is maybe 100,000 years.

• It takes only 8 m 19 s for sunlight to reach Mr. Earth.

• Light reaches Earth by traveling in “bundles” called photons.